Campfire Conversations
by TheGoodGuy20
Summary: Kohaku wants to admit that she has feelings for Senku, but hasn't had the courage to do so. A campfire conversation could be all that she needs


There was no question about it, Kohaku was an attractive girl and everyone in the village knew it. However, why had most of the guys in the village been ignoring her lately?! She would always receive glances around the campfire or other places, but it was rare for a guy to approach her nowadays. Well, there was Ginro, but he was just an idiot who would go after any girl that he found attractive.

"Darn" Kohaku thought to herself "why are they avoiding me now? Did I do something?"  
She thought a reason for this could be because of her known tendancies. She was known as one of the strongest members of Ishigami village and she was also known to brutally punish those who chased after her, and while the only one she actually did that to was Ginro, it left the impression in most of the guys minds that she would rather not have men pursuing her, so they were hesitant to have one on one conversation because of that she thought.

There were some exceptions though. Chrome was never afraid to talk to her and while he did recieve a pummeling every once in a while, which was when he said something dumb (in her opinion.) There was a problem though, Chrome already had his eyes set on her sister, and that didn't seem to be changing any time soon. In fact, it seemed that a lot of people in the village had been pairing up, or at least had been showing interest in others. She felt kind of left out. Luckily, there was someonw who didnt look like he was interested in any of that. And that was the science man himself, Senku. Kohaku actually had a big crush on Senku ever since he had cured her sisters illness, but she had never had the confidence to admit it to him. She was hoping to do it soon though, as she knew Senku was a highly sought after man in the village, as he was both insanely smart and good looking.

Tonight, there was going to be a celebration in the village. This was to celebrate retrieving the petrification device, and everyone just wanted an excuse to have some fun and drink anyways.

"I challenge you to a sorcery duel, Senku!" It was clear that Chrome was drunk. He hadn't referred to sorcery in quiet a while, but his take of alcohol was responsible for this old habit being brought up again. Senku was just laughing and Chrome was all getting up in his face, getting really fired up. Luckily, Ruri was able to pull Chrome back and once he realized it was her pulling him back, he calmed down and started telling her about all the tricks he was going to use.

"Next, time I'll get you Senku." Was all he said as he continued talking to Ruri, who thought it was cute how he was acting and how he challenged the science master himself.  
"Yeah, I'll hold you to that ten billion percent." Replied Senku as he downed the rest of what was in his glass.  
"Shit, that was alcohol." He thought, surprised. "Someone must have topped off my drink when I wasn't looking. Oh well, one glass wouldn't make a huge difference."  
Kohaku had made her way to the party and had seen Senku talking to Gen about something which seemed pretty complicated. She had a few drinks but was still in pretty good shape. She sat down on the other side of Senku, which Gen noticed immediately.  
"Oh dear Senku, I just realized something I have to do. I'll be back soon!" Was all Gen said as he left with a stupid look on his face, clearly indicating he was up to something. Gen knew how Kohaku felt about Senku, so he was giving them some much needed alone time, in his opinion.  
"Hey Kohaku, enjoying the party?"  
"Y-yeah! Its good to be back home."  
"What's she so nervous about?" Senku thought to himself  
He downed more of his drink  
"Shit, more alcohol. These people really know how to drink" He set his glass down as to avoid having any more.  
Kohaku spoke up  
"Sooo Senku, were you popular at your old school?" She was trying to probe for information, and she knew that he might be able to tell this, but she decided to ask anyways. She really wanted to know if he was popular with the ladies, but there was no way she was going to be that direct to him. Luckily for her, he didn't think the proposition was anything more than a simple question, partially due to the alcohol lingering in his system  
"I guess you could say I was more well known. They called me the lab genius. I was a member of a science club where I did the same things I do now, but with more advanced materials. I was the president of the club so I guess you could say I was the chief of the club. Well, I guess I always had a few friends like Taiju and Yuzuriha and the people in the science club, but I didn't really interact with many people outside of that. Wasn't really too popular with the girls but then again I never really paid any attention to that stuff.  
That last part was what she was looking for. It surprised her as she thought Senku would have been popular as he was in this village. She thought there were probably a few girls who liked him but he probably just didnt notice them or mistook their feelings for just being nice.  
"I bet you're just being humble Senku, you were probably really popular."  
"Kukuku, maybe"  
She inched a little closer to him, and he didnt move away to her pleasure.  
Someone approached him from behind and he quickly explained a scientific concept to them, which she didnt understand all too well.  
"Senkuuu."  
"When did she get this close?" Senku thought, only now just noticing their proximity  
He responded normally "yeah, whats up?"  
She shuffled in her seat nervously  
"W-what kind of girls do you like?"  
He now knew where this conversation was going, so he decided to tease her a little bit.  
"I like super scientific girls who are 10 billion percent as smart as me."  
She widened her eyes in surprise. That was about the exact opposite as her, he could see a pout on her face and then after deciding he had enough fun at her expense, he added  
"Just kidding."  
Her ears perked up at this. She scooted closer to him so they were almost touching.  
"I actually like strong girls. Like the kind that can protect me as I have a physical ability of zero. It would raise my chances for survival."  
She got excited but then realized that most of Senkus thinking was logical, and he probably didn't even register the question as a romantic one anyways.  
"And fiesty girls are also fun to mess with. Its cute to see them get all riled up at the complicated things"  
She immediately caught everything he said. She had never heard him reference anything as cute, so maybe he did understand this was a more feelings based and less logical question.  
"In fact, I know a girl like that, in this very village." He knew he was really giving away a lot of information he usually didn't give away, about his feelings, but he didn't seem to mind now.  
"And who is that?" She asked, almost desperate for the answer  
He chuckled. "I just can't give that away, lioness." But I'll give you a hint that its someone I met after I became unpetrified.  
The gears in her mind began turning  
"So it's not Yuzuriha"  
"Correct, 10 points for you"  
"And its not Ruri either, because you would have not divorced her if that was the case."  
"Correct. Also I couldnt go taking Chrome's girl like that."  
"What'd you say Senku?!" Chrome shouted in his drunked state from across the campfire, next to a heavily blushing Ruri.  
"And I know its not Suika or any of the children"  
He nudged her with his arm  
"Well I hope it wouldn't be! That would be 10 billion percent wrong"  
She laughed at this and he smiled back.  
"And I'm going to guess that they're not from the old Tsukasa empire, as you haven't known them for as long"  
"Thats true."  
He was actually quite proud of her deductive skills. While she wasn't the most scientific she could figure things out when she put her mind to it.  
"So that leaves..." she went through the names in her mind and found that the list wasn't very long and that she was still on it!  
"Is- is it me?" The usually confident Kohaku was now stuttering and totally out of her usual state.  
"I don't know, is it?" He gave her a smirk  
"Tell me straight up!" She replied as she lightly shoved him as to show her disapproval.  
"Well, let me tell you about the girl I like" she stopping shoving him and listened intently, better than maybe Ukyo at this girl.  
"I met this girl early on in my travels. Originally I had saved her, but in return she saved me more times than I can even remember. When not very many people supported me, she was always by my side, and I will always be grateful for that. I also came to understand this girls beauty too, and now I find her stunning. It's also really fun to tease her. That girl is you Kohaku, I like girls like you, no thats wrong, the girl I like is you"  
She just sat there quietly, and tried to interpret everything she just heard. He actually liked her? She didn't think that he was even capable of having emotions like that, let alone having those feelings towards her." He snapped her out of her thoughts.  
"Well, are you going to give me an answer? I just put my feelings out there, and hearing nothing is making me nervous."  
That was another word she rarely heard him use. Nervous. After this she had confirmation that her feelings were reciprocated.  
"Well Senku." She wrapped her arms arm him.  
"I like you too. I always thought you were physically attractive, but I have been emotionally attracted to you ever since you cured Ruri's illness and you still always amaze me with what you do every day. Your dedication to your work is inspiring to me."  
"Well I'm glad you feel the same way. Though I'm pretty sure everyone in the village knew that you liked me including me"  
Kohaku blushed and wore an embarrased look on her face.  
"Was it really that obvious?"  
"Why did you think all the guys in the village were avoiding you?" They knew your feelings for me and also knew my feelings for you. I told those idiots to act how they normally did, but most of them insisted on staying out of the way  
"Ah, so thats what it was"  
"Yeah, 10 billion percent illogical, I know."  
"Well at least now we don't have to worry about that because they'll know you're all mine!" She squeezed him in a hug that was pretty intense because it was Kohaku.  
"Easy, lioness. Any more tighter and you might break me. And at least now we don't need to proclaim this to the village as they all just heard it right now."  
Kohaku quickly let go of Senku and looked around to see that most of the village had been listening to what was transpiring between the two.  
"W-w-wwhaaat?" Was all Kohaku could manage.  
Senku came to rescue her from her embarassment.  
"C'mon you guys. Stop staring. Now that you know how we feel, find someone else to stare at. Like Chrome."  
Immediately the members of the village shifted their attention from the newly established couple to Chrome, and Ruri who was next to him. It was obvious that they were expecting a similar exchange to the one that had just happened between Kohaku and Senku, and Chrome was actually picking up on the cues, so in a state of fear, embarassment, and panic, he grabbed Ruri and retreated all the way out of the village and to his science storehouse.  
Senku just laughed at the whole scene and now thought Chrome may have finally realized his feelings, in his own way.

"Why'd you point at chrome specifically?" Kohaku asked  
"Just trying to help my old science buddy with something unscientific for a change."  
"Ah, I see. Well I wish him luck. I know Ruri feels the same."  
Senku stroked Kohakus hair as she snuggled closer to him.  
"You know, I'm glad everything happened. This whole pertrification mystery and everything. Even though its harder now than it was in my day, I have a whole village of friends and you. It's so unscientific, but I know I've found love."  
"Senku, I'm glad everything happened too. Everything with you is exciting, and everyone lives better now because of you. I'm grateful."  
"Well, we're just getting started. I've still got many more crazy science things to show you. But now I know I'll be unstoppable with you at my side, the crazy strong, attractive lioness.  
She smiled at that compliment which was so Senku like, and the two soon fell asleep, snuggled up close to the campfire and were quickly recognized as the strongest couple in the village and proved that opposites attract.


End file.
